This rapid spend rate is a reflection of just how many earlier disasters the agency is dealing with in addition to Milton and Helene. Here’s what to know:How did FEMA spend $9 billion so quickly? That gave FEMA about $20 billion worth of funding to tap into as it responded to Helene and Milton. “In August, we had paused obligations for recovery projects for all of those other open disasters,” Criswell told reporters. Last year, the US had a record 23 disasters costing at least $1 billion by September – with 28 such disasters in the calendar year, the most ever recorded.

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Persons: Helene, Milton –, Deanne Criswell, Milton, Criswell, Dominick Del Vecchio, “, ” Criswell, Hurricane Helene, Adam Smith, Hurricane Beryl, Greenlee Beal, NOAA’s Smith, isn’t, It’s, Smith, ” Smith, ” CNN’s Lauren Fox Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Disaster Relief Fund, Rescue, Task Force, Nevada Task Force, Reuters, Hurricane, NOAA, CNN, “ Locations: Milton, Nevada, Maui, Lahaina , Hawaii, Texas , California, New Mexico, Hurricane Milton, ”, California, Texas, New England, Dallas, Galveston , Texas, United States